Project Details

The San Rafael River has been severely impacted by the invasive species, tamarisk.  Tamarisk has replaced much of the native vegetation along the riparian zone.  The presence of tamarisk in these locations traps additional sediments, eventually narrowing and deepening the channel and disconnecting the river from the riparian zone.  As a result of these processes valuable fish habitat and riparian vegetation is lost.

A large irrigation dam in the lower river is a complete barrier  to fish movement, which has prevented endangered fish of the Colorado River from utilizing the upper San Rafael River, however recent research has found significant use of the lower river by endangered fish, especially Colorado Pikeminnow.  The other native fish species that do occur at Fuller Bottom, are known collectively as the "three species", the roundtail chub (Gila robusta), bluehead sucker (Catostomus discobolus) and the flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis). These species are currently managed under a multi-state, multi-agency conservation agreement. The roundtail chub has been warranted but precluded for listing under the Endangered Species Act in the Lower Colorado Basin.  The range and abundance of all three species have declined dramatically throughout their historic range.  The three species currently occupy only ~50 percent of their historic range, largely due to habitat perturbations, fragmentation, and interactions with non-native fish. The San Rafael River is one of the few tributaries in Utah where all three species still exist, making it a high priority conservation area.

One advantage native fish species have in the upper San Rafael is that non-native fish species and numbers are very low, this is due to the fact that the barrier in the lower river has prevented non-native fish present in the Green River from colonizing the upper river.  We know that populations of the three species appear to be controlled through source-sink dynamics, with the populations in the upper San Rafael River providing a  source to the downstream sink populations.  Therefore protection of the populations in the upper river is critical to the long term viability of populations in the lower river.

Fuller Bottom provides important spawning habitat for the three species and whole tree removal of tamarisk along the bank will help maintain river complexity needed for providing various spawning habitats.  For example, lateral scour increases when removing tamarisk from the outside river bank, this creates low velocity habitat required for young of year and larval fish.  This process also widens the river and decreases steep banks.  Over time more water will access the floodplain maintaining native vegetation.  Removing tamarisk from the uplands will open up the canopy and increase forage for cottontail rabbits that are present within the management area.  The cottontail population is currently using  tamarisk stands for burrowing as the dense stands provide protection from predators.  In 2016 wildlife brush piles were constructed using removed tamarisk trees to provide cover for small animals (birds, rabbits, reptiles) To provide cover from predators, materiel from tamarisk piles will be used to construct additional cover piles near existing burrows. A pond was excavated on the south side of the river for wildlife. Overflow from the pond will create a small wetland benefiting many wildlife species.

Another additional need that will be provided by this project is increasing hunt-able area for small game in the southeast region.  WMA's in the area such as Desert Lakes and Huntington Game Farm, have been used in recent years for pheasant releases, the popularity of these releases have led to safety and overcrowding concerns.  During the first phase (FY16) 25.7 acres of tamarisk was removed from the property, increasing open upland habitat where pheasants were released during the 2016 hunting season.  Continued removal of tamarisk with additional herbicide and seeding treatments will increase the upland hunting value of the property.

Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.

Objectives of Phase II include:

(1) Supplying a drip irrigation system  to grow shrubs and trees favorable to game species, especially turkey.  A 3/4 arce pond has already been excavated that will be filled by an artesian well producing 35-40 gallons per minute, providing consistent flow, benefiting aquatic life as well as supporting  irrigation for terrestrial wildlife.  Installing drip lines off the artesian well will minimize water evaporation increasing the amount of food crops for wildlife.

(2) The pond was constructed near large cottonwood trees providing roosting habitat for turkeys. Additional trees will be planted around the pond increasing nesting/roosting habitat for migratory birds. 
 
(3) Implement upland seeding and tamarisk re-sprout treatments  to improve open spaces 
created by tamarisk removal.  The loose earth around the pond and dam will also be seeded.

(4) Maintain property fence on WMA to resolve trespass cattle issue and protect newly constructed pond.

(5) Create wetland habitat by allowing pond to overflow towards a river oxbow.

(6) Improve riparian function and fish habitat.

(7) Increase suitable native fish rearing or holding habitat if desired in the future (using the pond).

Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.

Fuller Bottom provides important spawning habitat for the three species and whole tree removal of tamarisk along the bank will help maintain river complexity needed for providing various spawning habitats.  The three species currently occupy only ~50 percent of their historic range, largely due to habitat perturbations, fragmentation, and interactions with non-native fish. One advantage native fish species have in the upper San Rafael is that non-native fish species and numbers are very low, this is due to the fact that the barrier in the lower river has prevented non-native fish present in the Green River from colonizing the upper river.  We know that populations of the three species appear to be controlled through source-sink dynamics, with the populations in the upper San Rafael River providing a  source to the downstream sink populations.  Therefore protection of the populations in the upper river is critical to the long term viability of populations in the lower river.  Failing to implement conservation projects for three species in the upper San Rafael could result in the decrease or loss of three species populations. The upper San Rafael River is a stronghold for roundtail chub, a species that has been petitioned for listing in the lower Colorado Basin, future petitions in the upper basin (encompassing the San Rafael) are likely.  Missing opportunities to improve habitat for roundtail chub increase  the threat of  federally listing this species.

The San Rafael River is listed on the states 303 D list, for Impaired Waters, water quality issues include high salinity, TDS, and chlorides.  Increasing connectivity to  the flood plain and decreasing  salt concentration within the soil can be achieved by implementing this project.

Tamarisk removal can have negative impact to bird species that prefer nesting in thick tamarisk.  The risk of destroying bird nests can be mitigated by conducting the removal outside of the nesting period. Disturbing fish spawning is also a concern, this can also be prevented by avoiding work in the spring and summer months.

LOCATION: Justify the proposed location of this project over other areas, include publicly scrutinized planning/recovery documents that list this area as a priority, remote sensing modeling that show this area is a good candidate for restoration, wildlife migration information and other data that help justify this project's location.

TIMING: Justify why this project should be implemented at this time. For example, Is the project area at risk of crossing an ecological or other threshold wherein future restoration would become more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible.

Relationship to Management Plans #4050
Fuller Bottom Riparian and Upland Improvement

Range-wide Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Roundtail chub (Gila robusta), Bluehead Sucker (Catostomus discobolus), and Flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis)
	Developed to expedite implementation of conservation measure for roundtail chub, bluehead sucker, and flannelmouth sucker throughout their respective ranges as a collaborative and cooperative effort among resource agencies.
Objective B. Establish and/or maintain roundtail chub, flannelmouth sucker, and bluehead sucker populations sufficient to ensure persistence of each species within their ranges.
Objective C. Establish and/or maintain sufficient connectivity between populations so that viable metapopulations are established and/or maintained.
Objective D. As feasible, identify, significantly reduce and/or eliminate threats to the persistence of roundtail chub, bluehead sucker, and flannelmouth sucker that: 1) may warrant or maintain their listing as a sensitive species by state and federal issues, and 2) may warrant their listing as a threatened or endangered species under the ESA.
Ac tion 5. Increase roundtail chub, bluehead sucker, and flannelmouth sucker populations to accelerate progress toward attaining population objectives for respective species.
Action 6. Enhance and maintain habitat for roundtail chub, bluehead sucker, and flannelmouth sucker.
Enhance and/or restore connectedness and opportunities for migration of the subject species  to disjunt populations where possible.
Restore altered channel and habitat features to conditions suitable for the three species.
	Provide flows needed for all life stages of the subject species.
	Maintain and evaluate fish habitat improvements throughout the range	.

Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy
	Developed to ensure State Wildlife Grants funds are spent to effectively restore and enhance wildlife populations and their habitat, and prevent the need for additional listings on the  Endangered Species List.
Bluehead Sucker- Tier 1 (conservation agreement species)
	Threat: Habitat fragmentation
	Action: Identify areas that need to be connected and implement appropriate actions
Flannelmouth Sucker -Tier 1 (conservation agreement species)
	Threat: Habitat fragmentation
	Action: Identify areas that need to be connected and implement appropriate actions
Roundtail Chub- Tier 1 (conservation agreement species)
	Threat: Habitat fragmentation
	Action: Identify areas that need to be connected and implement appropriate actions
Lowland Riparian Habitat
	Threat: Channelization- lack or riparian vegetation; increased sedimentation
Action: restore degraded habitats- add meander to streams and plant desirable vegetation
	Lotic Habitat
Threat: Channelization-increased water velocity; lack of riparian vegetation; increased sedimentation
Action: Restore degraded habitats- add meander to streams and plant desirable vegetation
Threat: Invasive Plant species-thick stands of tamarisk can reduce the amount of flowing water in a stream, narrow channels
Action: restore degraded habitats- use herbicides, mechanically remove, or otherwise control invasive non-native vegetation; plant desirable vegetation

San Rafael Drainage Management Plan Hydrologic Unit 14060009
	Plan identifies objectives and strategies for management of aquatic species and their habitat in the San Rafael River drainage.
Native, non-sport fish species- Colorado pikeminnow, roundtail chub, flannelmouth sucker, and bluehead sucker in the San Rafael River need special protection from factors which threaten their existence.
Objective 1. Maintain or ehance populations of Colorado pikeminnow, roundtail chub, flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker
Objective 2. Maintain or enhance population of other native, non-sport fish species
Strategy 2.  Continue participation in the Three Species Conservation Agreement.
Strategy 4. Work with local, state, and federal authorities to improve habitat in the lower drainage, specifically the removal of tamarisk.

Upper San Rafael River Wildlife Management Area Habitat Management Plan
Identifies important fish and wildlife habitats including: lowland riparian, wet meadow, and lotic key habitats; flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, and roundtail chub.  Providing and protecting for these native fish in the focus of the WMA.
Habitat Threats: Invasive plant species- tamarisk; nutrient enrichment-eutrophication of water habitats due to excess nitrogen, phosphorous, and other nutrients
The Upper San Rafael WMA will be managed to increase its functionality, appeal, availability and use by all fish and wildlife species
Noxious Weed  Control- UDWR personnel will spray and control noxious weeds on the WMA as required by state law.
Habitat Improvement plan- Habitat projects to remove tamarisk plants should be considered a high priority for the WMA; Restoration of native plan habitat should be implemented; stream bank work would be advantageous to benefit native fish and their habitat; the focus of habitat improvement projects should target improvements for native fish.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Strategic Plan
The DWR maintains sustainable and diverse wildlife populations that are valuable to all citizens of Utah.
Resource goal: Expand wildlife population and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat.
Protect existing wildlife habitat and improve 500,000 acres of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state.
Conserve sensitive species  to prevent them from becoming listed as threatened or endangered.

Utah State Water Plan
Utah's Water Resources Planning for the Future
		Water Quality, the Environment and Other Considerations
Water Quality Concerns in Utah- Preservation and Restoration of Riparian and Flood Plain Corridors- stream bank modification and channelization are the cause of many water quality impairments to Utah's streams. Riparian zones and flood plains need to be preserved and protected because they help improve water quality.
	West Colorado River Basin
Section 14- Fisheries and Water-Related Wildlife
Protection of native fish species is important to keep functioning ecosystems intact.
Protection of riparian vegetation will produce benefits including absorption of flood waters, reduced erosion, filtering of sediment and chemicals from runoff, and aesthetic and recreational values.
Issue: There is a need to protect wetlands and riparian habitat and reduce sedimentation of lakes, reservoirs and streams. When riparian areas are in good condition, they provide streambank stability, maintain channel countours, reduce sedimentation, regulate water flow, and enhance water quality.
Recommendation: BMP's should be used to protect and enhance wetlands and riparian areas
Issue 3: Over time, streamflows tend to stabilize the streambed. If stream channels are altered, this upsets the hydraulic regime and causes erosion and sediment deposition, impairing stream use for fish and wildlife purposes

Emery County Land Use Plan
	San Rafael River Region
Section 5- Manage the watershed in the san Rafael river region to achieve and maintain water resources at the highest reasonably sustainable levels. 
Management practices should be employed in the San Rafael river to restore, maintain, and maximize water resources through restoration, maintenance, and enhancement of the watershed in the San Rafael River region
Where water resources in the San Rafael river region have diminished beforce of succession by woody vegetation, a vigorous program of mechanical treatments should be applied to promptly remove the vegetation and provide a watershed that maximized water yield and water quality for wildlife.

The Utah Strategic Plan for Managing Noxious and Invasive Weeds
	A plant is considered a weed when it interferes with beneficial uses of land or water, displaces desirable or native plants, or affects human and animal health.
	Mission: Appropriately manage existing and invasive weeds in Utah
	Key Element 3: Management of established populations
	Key Element 4: Revegetation or Restoration

List management plans where this project will address an objective or strategy in the plan. Describe how the project area overlaps the objective or strategy in the plan and the relevance of the project to the successful implementation of those plans. It is best to provide this information in a list format with the description immediately following the plan objective or strategy.

If applicable, detail how the proposed project will significantly reduce the risk of fuel loading and/or continuity of hazardous fuels including the use of fire-wise species in re-seeding operations. Describe the value of any features being protected by reducing the risk of fire. Values may include; communities at risk, permanent infrastructure, municipal watersheds, campgrounds, critical wildlife habitat, etc. Include the size of the area where fuels are being reduced and the distance from the feature(s) at risk.

Describe how the project has the potential to improve water quality and/or increase water quantity, both over the short and long term. Address run-off, erosion, soil infiltration, and flooding, if applicable.

Description of efforts, both completed and planned, to bring the proposed action into compliance with any and all cultural resource, NEPA, ESA, etc. requirements. If compliance is not required enter "not applicable" and explain why not it is not required.

Vegetation Planting/Seeding:
Seeding will occur in the fall in both the upland and wetland areas using ATV's and drag harrows. The upland seeding area includes the 24 acres where tamarisk removal occurred in 2016 as well as a few additional acres around the pond to stabilize the dam and disturbed areas due to excavation. The wildlife pond constructed on the south side of the river will create wetland habitats due to overflow from the pond inundating ground between the pond and the river.  This area will be seeded with the "wetland mix" found in this proposal. A water jet will be used to transplant willows to the river edges where whole tree removal was completed in 2016.

Pond Improvements:
The pond will be completed by installing a flash board riser and piping the inlet with 2" pvc running from the well to the pond. A drip irrigation system will be installed on the well before reaching the pond and used to water trees and shrubs. A timer will be used to alternate water delivery between the pond and the drip system.

Herbicide Treatment (Invasive tree control):
Tamarisk re-sprouts will be treated in the Fall with hand crews and ATV's following foliar application guidelines.  The active herbicide used in the uplands will be Triclopyr (Element4) or similar available brand. Imazapyr (Habitat) with an aquatic label will be used near the river.

Fence:
A boundary fence does exist on the WMA however sand drifts and broken sections currently allow cattle to trespass. Most of the fence will need minor maintenance, some sections will need to be rebuilt with new posts, braces, and wire.

Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.

Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.

List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.

Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.

Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.